The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-06-25
OAHU COLLEGE.
FOrty-sixth Anniversary Celebration
at EOrt-STreet Church

The graduating exercises of Oahu Col
lege, which took place last evening at tn,
Fort-street Church on the occasion of tn,
anniversary were conducted in the presenc,
OF large number of persons interested il
the welfare of the institution The build
ing was profusely decorated with flower:
and foliage, which were displayed with
marked good taste by the fourth year stu
dents. The programme opened with an
| organ voluntary by Mr. NJ. H Jones and
prayer by the Rev. E. g. Beckwith L. D.,
the first President of the College. An ex-
tremeiy pleasing feature was the reading
of essays by the members of the gradual
| ing class-"The Modem Jew" by Miss
Helen K. SOrenson; Chronicles of the
| Sphinx, " a succinct resume of the history
of Egypt, by Miss Kate L. Rogers, and
Our Work. III which Miss Mary c.
! Atherton traced the gradual recognition
| of the capabilities of woman Each of
! these was characterized by considerable
literary merit, and the authors were re-
spectfully presented with magnificent bou-
quets. The last named lady was entrusted
with the delivery of the valedictory adj
dress. which was responded to by the
President, Rev. w. G. Merritt, who pre-
scented the diplomas. The programme was
interspersed with musical selections, COM
prising choruses by the Punahou Glee
Club and solos by Miss Jennie Grieve and
Mr.. L. c. Lyman. The anniversary adj
dress was delivered by the Hon. S. b.
Dole, as follows:
COMPLETE EDUCATION.
We are all accustomed to the wise old
saying that knowledge is power" and
perhaps too easily take it for granted that
this kind of power, being a good thing. is
good for everybody and that little learn
ing, or half an education, is better than
none at all. Ignorant parents often feel in
Il vague way that their children must have
that mysterious power called learning
which, like the enchanter's ring, shall I'M
lock for them all the magnificent POSSIBLE
tiles of lite. And so the children are
crammed with information and accom-
plishments for which they find no particu-
lar use, based upon an imperfect mental
discipline which is hardly worth preserv-
ing, even if they were able to do so; and
they thereby spoiled for the duties of
their station in life without being prepared
for any other. Their friends do not know
exactly what to do with them, and after
being exhibited for a while like stuffed
birds or mechanical toys, they finally dis
appear utterly as accomplished persons,
and turn up in some other capacity. This
result is not due to too much learning, but
to a one-sided and hap-haZard learning
Because knowledge is power is no reason
why it should be thOughtlessly placed in
everybody's hands, but is rather reason
why it should not. Gunpowder is also
power so is a three-biaded jack-knife, and
for that reason we keep them out of reach
of small children. Some time ago the Ha-
waian Government returned lot OF South |
Sea Island labOrers to their homes. These !
men had not been long enough in a civil
lied country to learn the golden rule, but
they had learned the eminent superiority |
of breech-loaders over the Birmingham
three-dolIar muskets furnished by the
South Sea Island traders. But this knowl- !
edge together with the other kind of power |
afforded by the possession of these breech-
leaders and a lot of cartridges, proved a |
very tragicaI thing for their unfortunate |
fellow -countrymen on their return home.
These illustrations will make more clear
what I wish 20 say, that half knowledge |
or a one-sided education is almost sure to |
be dangerous thing or an injurious thing |
both to it's owner and to others; this is be- |
cause keen weapon is thereby placed in |
the hands of one who does not know how |
to use it.
The main object of education is not the |
furnishing of the means on livelihood or
-, -, build mn of
characteristics, for the individual, and |
second, for the State. Training which !
gives one having the inclination to prey on |
society the ability to do so, is of no real |
value to its owner, and is clearly mlsfor- |
tune to mankind. Government cannot at |
ford to educate the mind only and neglect |
the inclination; it is not worth while to |
provide one with mere facility without |
thought as to his use of it, whether for or
against the State, taking the chances there |
may be OF developing al expert counter |
feiter, successful stock gambler, a Doodle |
politician or a Communist, instead of a !
useful and patriotic citizen. The knowledge !
of arithmetic will not make man into a |
good neighbor; faultless grammar will not |
save a woman from a tendency to gossip.
The religious teacher will say that re- !
Iigion is the only influence that can be
relied upon to educate the inclinatiOns, |
and 1 am disposed to think he is right;
but it is not the religion which is fashion |
or a conventionality that can do this; it is
that influence which impels to an active |
choice of great and unselfish principle of |
living and an unhesitating conservation !
thereto, instead of a passive and for NAL |
acceptance of dogma.
Nav the State in it's system of education
do this work? We have heard great !
deal about the question of religious teach
ing in public schools; it has become one /
of the great political issues in some parts |
of America. The reading of the Bible and !
morning prayers have been forbidden in
the schools of some of the States. If we
examine the matter, however, we find that
the issue really is whether or not theology
should be taught and as matter of course
it should not be, for the good reason that
there are many theologies and no one
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